â—â—NEM QVOTIDIANVM Or a short DISCOURSE Tending To prove the Legality Decency and Expediency of Set Forms of Prayer in the Churches of CHRIST With a particular Defence of the Book of Common Prayer OF THE CHURCH of ENGLAND Wherein most of those Arguments urged against its Publick use are recited and briefly refuted Being the summe and substance of two SERMONS preached at Leighton Beaâ—dezort in Com. Bedford By William Annand M. A. Minister of the said place Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to â—â—ter any thing before God Psal. 116. 10. I beleeved therefore have I spoken Deus meus refugium meum liberator mei suggere quid de te cogiten 〈…〉 bus te sermoibus invocem da quibus operibus tibi placeam scio na 〈…〉 unum quo tu placaris aliud quod non spernis utique 〈◊〉 Spir 〈…〉 bâ—â—ltus sacrificium acceptas cor contritum humiliatum Aug. 〈…〉 LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be sold at the Crane in Sain 〈…〉 Church-yard 1661. TO THE Most Noble and Right Honourable PATRIOTS THE Lords Knights and Gentlemen Justices of the Peace for the County of BEDFORD Right Honourable REceiving a command from your Honours met together at your Quarter-Sessions House in Bedford Octob. 2. for the publick reading of the Liturgy of the Church of England which hath been and still is looked upon by some as the troubler of our Zion and grand Malefactor of our Israel being sentenced before tryed as Popish and Antichristian Antichristian because Ancient and Popish because Orthodox I was bound in conscience by that duty that I owe to God and to his Church to blow away that dust and to wash away that silth which by maliâ—…ious and discontented persons had been cast upon that Book whereby it was noysome to the eyes of the weak and ignorant before I could own it as any way conducing to the edification of the Church which must have been granted by my publick using of it Enabling myself to graple with and in some sort to resist thâ—… brutish force I must so call it since it is irrational and which I foresaw I should be assaulted with in yielding obedience to your Honours commands in this particular gave a being to these few lines which at this time with all humility I present unto you hoping that you will give protection to this tender plant not yet ten dayes old siâ—…ce your Order was the sole and only cause of its production I come to your Honours Court as a Court of equity not doubting but that Common Iâ—…aw would do me Justice but hoping that your graver Judgements will give a quick hearing to this suit since it is so clear and I be dismissed without long attending if at your Bench it pâ—…ss for the Desendant I shall not be troubled though in a corner passionate men commence a suit against me Worthy Sirs there are two evil Spirits walking at this time through the Land hâ—…unting both our private houses and our publick Temples disturbing both our Church and State the one is of looseness and prophaneness the other is of giddiness and perverseness which must be conjured and that suddenly assaulted and that undauntedly both from our hâ—…bitations of Justice and Mountâ—…ins of Holiness Be not afraid of their faces nor dismayed at their looks Ezek. 2. 6. may be a fit Memorandum both for our Princes and for our Levites both for your Honours Benches and our Pulpits our Dread Soveraign hath sharpned the Axe for the one and you great Sirs must lay it at the root of the Tree You cannot but remember that it must be the fear of God in 〈◊〉 Land that must turn our Spears into Shares and our Swords into Pruning-hooks Your Honours are Justices of the Peace and your practice is to keep the Kings peace let not Warre be proclamed against heaven let there be free Trade ever kept with that Kingdom and we need not fear what our enemies can do against us One Frederick a Duke of Saxony as I have read proclaming Warre against the Archbishop of Magneburgh appointed one to go to his Court to inform him of the nature of the Archbishops preparations for an Invasion and finding that the Bishop made only God his Associate gave over his design with this advice to the World Alius insaniat ut bellum inferat ei qui confidit se Deum desensorem habiturum You have Right Honourable a happy opportunity both joyntly and severally to stop that Inundation of prophaneness which seems to overflow the strongest Bulwarks and Banks that can be made or cast up against it by a severe putting in execution those Laws that for that kind are made and provided As for that other spirit Noble Sirs we may divide it into two sorts It causes some out of petulancy and frowardness to oppose the best Laws except such as are made by themselves or for themselves or by those who are of the same judgement with themselves they are fiery and excentrical in their motion through the overflowings of their gall they speak bitter words even against Dignities they bring railing accusation like fiery Comets they predict some signal fatality to that Countrey wherein they are and some future judgement to that place over which they hang They are such that though favour be shown them they will deal perversely Clemency so vitious and cholerick are their constitutions like honey will but increase their distemper These Sirs must be observed and such mad spirits must be bound or charmed or extirpated out of the bounds of a Christian Common-wealth From the Bench the States Law must be read with all Authority to them and put in execution with a moderate severity upon them From the Pulpits they must hear with all boldness the necessity that lies upon them to obey principalities and powers lest they be delivered over unto Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme and forget to curse either God or the KING Your Honours may be very instrumental for making us to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty by making Application of that Doctrine Ezra 7. 26. Whosoever will not do the Law of thy God and the Law of the King let judgement be speedily executed upon him whether it be unto Death or to Banishment or to Confiscation of goods or Imprisonment There are others Right Honourable who purely out of ignorance are drawn from their obedience and are as it were made giddy staggering through the Doctrine instilled into them by those above-mentioned who out of a well-minded zeale though not well-grounded follow that light that such hold out and by a holy fear and care to avoid sinning boggle at the just demands of Supreme Authority disputing rather for the time with their own consciences than at any time against His Majesties Injunctions desiring to know how to keep their consciences void of offence not only
towards men but towards God in reference chiefly to Church-services Divine performances and outward Ceremonies If such Right Honourable be presented before you you may easily know them as transgressors of the Law they are to be handled with all meekness senitive medicaments had best be prescribed for the curing of their distempers Let them alone my Lords this year also and we will dig about them inform them of the nature of things and they may by beholding our Order bring forth the fruit of obedience we must behold them as if our selves were also in the body In the other case Fiat Iustitia but in this Innotescat aequitas vestra Knowing Right Honourable that Ueritas parit odium truth begets hatred and hatred begets contention I come to your Persons as Preservers of the Peace desiring that this innocent creature that lately spoke in defence of your Honours because of your Laws and set its face against that calumny which though not personally yet virtually is cast upon you for being Instrumental in so publick a way for the putting in execution those Laws that have been made touching the using of the service-Service-Book that it I say might be preserved from hurt and freed from abuse I put it into your hands as into the hands of its Father for indeed you begot it through the Law I bore it through the Gospel the information and instruction of that sort of people that hath been deluded by self-seeking men robbing the Ancients of all glory that alone they might have the Kingdom next your Honours Order was the sole cause of my preaching and now publishing of these sheets Praying that you may be in Counsels prosperous and in peace glorious happy Instruments of Gods glory His Majesties honour this Kingdoms prosperity and this Counties Piety I Subscribe my self Right Honourable Lords and Gentlemen Yours to command in all things lawful WILL. ANNAND From my Study at Leighton Octob. 12. 1660. To the READER Courteous and Christian Reader FOR so in charity I am bound to suppose until the contrary appear and â—…e known Thou hast here in thy hand the summe and substance of two Sermons with some alteration preached October 7. At which time the Lord knows there was nothing farther from my thoughts than that ever they should have seene the light more or to have craved thy courteous acceptance in the Land of the living but to have them had lyen perpetually buried among the rest of their brethren in a Box oâ—… Coffin but there they had not long beene when they were awakened with the sound of a Trumpet Out of thy ingenuity aske me not why I appear in the world since I am not pleased though not ashamed to discover If thou beest not one of my Parishioners they were never ordained for thee entertain them as thou hast them without farther questioning me concerning them If there be any that snarle at my doctrine yet if they answer not the Arguments never like my Book the worse nor esteeme them the wiser for their so doing I am not ignorant that there are as great diversities in mens judgments concerning Books as there are in mens pallates concerning cheese If this small Tract relish not with thee let it alone raile not at it Others possibly may close a good dinner with it and go to their work chearfully having sanctified their meat by a holy using of a set forme of Prayer For thy encouragement know that my Book tells no lyes it sayes indeed that Common Prayer is lawful yea and proves it â—…oo I have a small acquaintance with Counsels and Fathers yet they are not brought in to witnesse to the truth pleaded for from which I was kept not only by my small standing in Controversies of this nature but chiefly from the opposite parties excepting against such witnesses The Authority of a Councel being equally regarded with them to that of the Conclave and to cite a Father were to cite 〈◊〉 Antichrist himself But from Scripture and Scripture reason it 's â—…averred that it is lawful for Gods own people to call upon him for mercy in a set form of Prayer which proofs if you accept and without prejudice entertain and hereafter acknowledge them as lawful to any though necessary for none And though thou never use a set forme thy self yet if thou condemn not them that do I have my end Give God the glory and the poor members of Christs Church thy charity thou shalt have his prayers at the Throne of Almighty God who is called W. A. PANEM QUOTIDIANUM HOSEA 14. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord and say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips THis Prophet is the first of those that are called the lesser or the smaller Prophets not from their Authority which is equally great to the other but from their bulk and quantity wherein they are much less all of them together being but one Chapter longer than the Prophet Isaiah alone Some have noted that Isaiah in his single Book hath more verses than all the twelve smaller Prophets together Hosea receiving a Message from God according to direction communicates the Lords mind to the Church of Israel in this Prophesie three ways 1. By Types representing Israels sad condition by reason of Idolatry and Israels gracious restauration by reason of mercy Chap. 1. 2 3. 2. By powerful Sermons reciting their sins against God and predicting judgements from him from Chap. 9. to the 14. 3. By gracious and soul-reviving promises touching the future happy estate of that sinful yet beloved people throughout this Chapter In which the Prophet having set before their eyes the several and particular sins of their Kings Priests Princes and people and the judgements that God was resolved to send upon each of these for their so offending comes to perswade them betimes to break off their sins and shun heavy judgements by their speedy turning from their sin and returning to their God verse 1. assuring them that he hath not so farre yet shut up his tender mercy but that if they return he will heal their back-slidings and love them freely and refreshing them with his favourable presence will be like the dew and by his power sustaining them they shall flourish as the Lilly vers 3 4. And helping their infirmities in order to their so doing or Answering the Objections that they might make fearing the issue of their returning in as much as they might not know what Sacrifice God would accept or with what words he would be intreated he prescribes them to take words and these words Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips In which we have these things observable 1. The Prophets Exhortation to the people Take with you words 2. His Direction of the people Say Take away all iniquity c. In his Exhortation there are these things observable 1.
is a pity that some men will venture a fall so rashly as they do since they may safely and lawfully use stilts prescribing a form for themselves or limiting the main Ingredients of their Sermons or Petitions Is it fit to say to the Almighty What dost thou or Why is it thus serve him we must but ever with reverence and godly fear Heb. 12. 28. It becomes a Saint to pray as well as to walk circumspectly for God is in Heaven and he is on Earth And so much for the 2d question An deceat SECT IV. THE third question is An expediat granting set forms in themselves lawful yet are they expedient those set forms might be made in the time of the Churches Ignorance and to use them now may seem to set us to School again shall we always be children shall we use standing-stools now we are grown men But consider 1. That the Church hath always young coming in and old going out It hath Babes upon the Breast and of a bigger size it doth not consist all of grown men The aged in his age may want the same food the Child hath in his Child-hood for their sakes set Forms of prayer may be counted necessary 2. Consider that though thou and I and an hundred more may or can and do pray smoothly and readily and walk strongly yet thousands there are that cannot and therefore it is expedient that there be helps for them and if the Father or Master of the Family will have us to taste of the Childrens Messe let us not be surly and since there are many weak and infirm we ought to reach them how to hold their Crutches and then we may go whither our discretion will lead us If it be therefore asked Whether it be expedient in this Age of the Church to use set forms of prayer I Answer in the Affirmative my Reasons are such as these 1. Reas. It is expedient especially in publick that the poorest Saint as well as the greatest understand what they say themselves or what they hear from others How many a poor Christian cannot apprehend the nature of a common discourse without two or three times going it over before their understanding can receive the thing spoken of so as to judge or determine whether it be right or wrong Some are not able no not in their understandings to follow a ready or a smooth-tongued Preacher they know not the terms of a prayer nor the parts of a prayer they may say Amen to that that in this case would damn them and they themselves make such bawlks in their prayer that they are at a stand as concerning themselves Now by their often hearing or using a set form they are able to apprehend the Scope and the Order of the Prayer in that Form composed 2. Reas. It is expedient that prayers publick chiefly be so ordered qualified and seasoned that the generality at least may cheerfully and feelingly say Amen As there are in our Congregations diversities of heads differing in colour so there may â—…e and too frequently are diversity of judgements differing in affection He possibly prays for that that I pray against Now set forms are so composed as that the general part of Christians joyns in and to the praying of it that is therefore expedient to be done or at least to be asked that the generality of the Church wishes to obtain and fits as it were the most of those peoples hearts that at any time are met together for the good of the whole That all may say feelingly Amen Amen unto which doing a set form of prayer in these dividing times is a soveraign help and motive 3. It is expedient That in the Churches of Christ the Saints of smaller parts have such helps as may not discourage their devotion or damp their faith All the Members of the Church are not cedars there are some lesser some smaller in the Mount than others They must be dealt withal so that they be not over-driven lest they die A poor soul conscious to himself that he is not able to make his requests known in so ready a way as others grows sad and being full of doubts about his eternal condition upon the account of his insufficiency goeth with gray hairs and with sorrow to the grave He sees a full-grown-Christian skipping over Hills and leaping over Mountains and he himself not able to walk he may cry O wretched man that I am Now to such a soul as this set forms of prayer may make him see and speak of his imperfections and the self-same prayer make him confeâ—…s them and be humble for them which is a great part of perfection and assure him that though he came last to yet he shall not be the least in the Kingdome of â—…ven 4. It is expedient That strong men bear with and put their hand to help the infirmities of the weak otherwise the Church of Christ will be on earth as fishes are in the Sea the great ones will devour the lesser If the Horse in an Army be not well guided they may spoile the order of the Inâ—…ntry All things must be done to edifying And charity heareth all things 1 Cor. 13. 7. Here is a poor man cannot pray teach him to pray if it were by Book and though he learn there is still a young generation coming up that must be taught how to pray even as Iohn or Jesus taught their Disciples their Angels beholds the face of our Father which is in heaven Mat. 18. 10. Iâ—… is expedient therefore to have set forms always in the Church as helps always ready for such as are going out of the Church and such as are coming in SECT V. HAving gone thus farre into the nature of set forms of prayer we come now unto two Circumstances concerning the use of them The first shall be when this set form chiefly may be used Circumstances of time and place may alter even the nature of things and therefore the second circumstance shall be Where they ought chiefly to be used It may be lawful for me to do that now or this day which will not be lawful to morrow and I may do that with a safe conscience in one place which without sin I cannot do in another When therefore chiefly may this set form be used since it is always lawful and never in it self necessary 1. Answ. It may be used of all when all are partakers of and sufferers under the same judgement their case here in the Text all had sinned and were like to come short of the glory of God each had a hand in pulling down judgement and here they are exhorted to have and use the same words to keep away vengeance When a whole Nation a Countrey a Town and a Family feels all the same Rod certainly it is proper for them all to use the words If a Nation were under the judgement of a Dearth or Famine nay suppose a Plague for that Nation at a set time
in the Text and alms-deeds are called Sacrifices Heb. 13. 15. Now he that offers up those Gospel Sacrifices for the people unto God may without offence be called a Gospel-Priest which distinction alone solves the Objection It is to be acknowledged that in a proper sence it cannot be applyed to Gospel-Teachers they offering but improper or Metaphorical Sacrifices and therefore allusively only are they called Priests yet noâ—… unlawfully as Christ is called the High Priâ—…st Heb. 4. 14. To conclude pressing a duty upon the Gospel-Minister I should not be ashamed to urge him that Text That the Priests lips should keep knowledge Mal. 2. 7. and hold it not unlawful to say that he is the man that in the words is called Priest Answ. 4. Though it be a phrase not common in this Kingdom to usâ—… the word Priest for a Gospel Minister yet in some other Reformed Kingdoms as in Sweden I have certainly heard that there the common and ordinary appellation for their Pastors is The Priest a term with them no more disgraceful nor unlawful than Minister or Teacher is with us Answ. 5. All Christians that appear before God may be and are in Scripture called Priests 1 Pet. 2. 9. and Rev. 1. 6. the word Priest is not in a 〈◊〉 but in a principal way given to Ministers in respect that by their Office they approach nearer to God to offer up Sacrifices for the people As all the Israelites in general were Priests to God Exod. 19. 6. which yet hindred not the sons of Aaron to be called in a principal way by reason of their more immediate approach to God And though the word may be cast upon us by some in scorne yet if they be Christians they are Priests it shall one day no more be to our shame than it shall be a shame for our Saviour that he was called by Pilate King of the Iews which indeed he was though still we are called â—…o but in an allusive way and Elder Priest or Presbyter all being one being the more Ancient word significâ—…nt enough holding forth our approaches unto God in a more particular or singular way for offering for the people our fore-fathers were pleased to retain the word even in this Book Obj. 18. For all this we cannot be brought from the apprehending that there is in your Common Prayer-Beok some appearance of evil for men answering the Minister and the women speaking in the Church holds out to our thoughts an evil and we ought therefore to abstain from it or hold our pâ—…ace Ans. 1. I suppose it was never heard that any were in the least troubled for not answering the Minister in the Congregation and therefore in my judgement you may 〈◊〉 please but be sure that you be doing God service it 〈◊〉 â—…erous to be either idle or scorning or sleeping or stuâ—… in â—…s Vineyard Ans. 2. In confession of our sins there ought to be a particular application to our hearts the better to raise them to a quick consideration of Gods Justice which produceth repentance in the humbled and confessing souls which is the cause of the Responses or answers of the Congregation As for women they are forbidden to teach or propound questions in the Church but not to make prayers or supplications either with or for others Ans. 3. Whereas you say you will abstain from it consider that besides the danger you are in for not joyning with Gods people in publick you also lose the knowledge and possibly the comforts you may receive from the Word of God which is read with it be well resolved and know it is a sin for thee to slight as it were the Word of God which is a real and apparent evil because at that time there is joyned with it that that only appears to be evil Ans. 4. Holy Taylour in his Saints Progress will have his Saint to avoid in any indifferent thing all appearance of evil and scandal with these limitations As 1. So they be not in things simply necessary to life in such things we must not forbear though others be offended if one should take offence at our eating bread we must not care since our life is preserved by it And indeed the Pharisees were more blamed for being offended at the Disciples eating or plucking the ears of corn than the Disciples were for giving that offence yet we may forbear this or that wine and this or that flesh out of respect to a weâ—…k Brother these things not being necessary for our life since the world is a plentiful board at which we nend not tye our selves to one dish 2. The like in things simply necessary for our calling A thing of indifferency may not put me out of the way I must hold my calling whatever befall To throw preaching off for a Surplice which is but indifferent since there is no colour appointed by the Lord nor his Disciples will prove one day a greater sin than some now imagin that it is It were better to stay with their flock and preach the Word constantly in season and out of season than to run from them for that which is to be worne only at a certainseason and if it be thought Popish because the Papists use it the Creed may be thouâ—… Anti-christian since they say it and black Idolatrous since 〈◊〉 3. If we 〈◊〉 â—…at is if the things be left to our poâ—… â—…sing but if higher powers restrain our use of liberty we must in that case obey lawful Authority whoever be offended It 's better to offend man than God and what shall we ever do if we avoid all things wherein some conceive an appearance of evil 4. We are not alwayes to avoid things wherein some conceive an appearance â—…vil but for a time 〈◊〉 such ignorance be removed If their weaâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…urn to wilfulness and they will not be taught as the Objecâ—… holds out some such thing we must peremptorily stand to our liberty so did the Apostle Gal. 〈◊〉 3. For â—…estifie again to every man that is circumcised Christ â—…hall profit you nothing though for a time he did circumcise through the Jews weakness And Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an Herâ—…k after the first and second admonition reject Thus with my prayers that they who make these Objections may come to the knowledge of the truth and yield obedience to those whom God hath set over them I shall close this Section 4. Beg earnestly of Almighty God to give us all one heart in the publick using of one form There are that separate from us and our practice in affection as well as in judgement and discouse for the divisions of Ruben there were Iudg. 5. 15. great thoughts of heart when thou goest to God bear the division of England in thy heart 5. I would have thee for thy own contentment and the Churches peace at all times and especially this time to put a difference between that that 's not approved and that that 's not commanded There are many things that are done in the Churchâ—… tâ—…at are noâ—… commanded to the Church as Marrying Burying c. and there ough nothing to be done in opposition of the same as unlâ—…wful None opposed Davids musick in no Age was it spoken agaâ—…st yeâ—… to no Age commanded If any thing be done or commanded to be done thaâ—… 〈◊〉 noâ—…â—…pproved or forbidden there obey God rather than man Remember the three children Dan. 3. 18. but say not so untill certainly there is a graven Image set up I mean untill that be enjoyned which Gods Law hath forbidden as the case with them was 6. That thou wouldst be eaâ—…nest at â—…he â—…rone of grace thâ—… God would bless from heâ—…ven both the Church and Staâ—…e of all 〈◊〉 Natioâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Spâ—… 〈◊〉 the bond of 〈◊〉 under the goverâ—… 〈◊〉 one King whilst â—…hou 〈◊〉 this form of Prayer by Law appâ—…d to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and desire him to keep ouâ—… Châ—…ch 〈◊〉 divisiâ—… and for ever these Kingdoms from 〈◊〉 say So shâ—…ll it bâ—… and let us that Gloria Trinâ—…i Glory be tâ—… the Fatheâ—… FINIS